FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 29, 2018
 Contact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343

WASHINGTON, D.C. – For over six years, U.S. Senator Rand Paul has led the charge to legalize industrial hemp in Kentucky and across the country. Today it was announced that a deal in principle had been reached for the 2018 Farm Bill, which includes a provision to legalize hemp. Sen. Paul released the below statement celebrating the most recent victory in his fight for Kentucky’s hemp industry:

“From being the lead Republican cosponsor of a bipartisan bill to legalize industrial hemp in 2012 – the very first hemp bill in the Senate, to convincing my colleagues in Congress to support the deregulation of this vital resource, to pushing the Food and Drug Administration to declassify its status as a Schedule I drug, I’ve been proud to lead the charge on the legalization of industrial hemp from day one, and am grateful for the support of Kentucky’s federal delegation and leaders in Frankfort,” said Sen. Paul. “Today’s good news has truly been years in the making, from testifying in front of Kentucky’s General Assembly in 2013 in support of legalizing this crop and creating a hemp pilot research program, to years of introducing and cosponsoring legislation on this issue and demanding big government get out of the way so Kentucky farmers can succeed. I’m happy to see that we are closer than ever to truly removing the regulatory barriers standing in the way of the Commonwealth reaping the economic benefits of this crop, and look forward to continuing my efforts on this issue.”

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